July 30, 2007 at 09:32 PM MDTFriday will be the one year anniversary of Tanner's transplant! Can you believe it's been a whole year?

I can't stop thinking about his donor's family. This week will mark one year for that family without their child. Did his donor have siblings? I wish I knew more. I pray for them a lot. Every August we will celebrate another year of a second chance at life for Tanner. But for their family, it marks one more year without him/her. (I've said before that I think it's a 'her.')

Did they know today that their child would die? Tomorrow? Did they know it was coming? Did it happen suddenly? What was he/she doing one year ago today?They saved Tanner's life and I will forever be grateful.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

"First we receive the light, then we impart it. Thus we repair the world." Imparting the light requires great things of us: authenticity, honesty, courage, determination, empathy, personal responsibility, and a commitment to action. Imparting the light means to heal and make whole not just the existential wound of separation, but all things broken, all things hurting, all things growing tumors of fear and pain. And all of this is within my body, within your body; within the one body we share. Repairing the world means to translate the glory of transcendent spiritual realization into common language, common currency, and common decency. Repairing the world requires that we make love an action. Repairing the world requires we give voice and force to spiritual wisdom, that we stand for the sanctity of life, that we take on projects of renewal, transforming old bodies of prejudice and pain, of hate and ignorance, of fear and suffering into polished new bodies of freedom and joy, of wisdom and strength.

Friday, July 27, 2007

"I" Is Not for Indian

“I” isn't for Indian; It is often for Ignorance. In the Never-Never land of glib stereotypes and caricature, the rich histories, cultures, and the contemporary complexities of the indigenous, diverse peoples of the Western Hemisphere are obscured, misrepresented, and rendered trivial. Native Americans appear not as human beings but as whooping, silly, one-dimensional cartoons. On occasion they are presented as marauding, blood-thirsty savages, bogeys from the nightmares of "Pioneers" who invaded their lands and feared for the consequences. At other times they seem preconcupiscent angels, pure of heart, mindlessly ecological, brave and true. And worst of all, they are often merely cute, the special property of small children.

It's an easy way to dismiss an unproud history. A society that chooses to make a running joke of its victims embalms both its conscience and its obligations, relegating a tragic chronology of culture contact to ersatz mythology. It's hard to take seriously, to empathize with, a group of people portrayed as speaking ungrammatical language, as dressing in Halloween costumes, as acting “wild”, as being undependable in their promises or gifts. Frozen in a kind of pejorative past tense, these make-believe Indians are not allowed to change or in any other way be like real people. They are denied the dignity and dynamism of their history, the validity of their myriad and major contributions to modern society, the distinctiveness of their multiple ethnicities.

It is a shame to deprive our children (who grow to become no less deprived adults) access to wealth and culture sophistication of traditional Native American society is indefensible. Among several hundred of separate cultures of North America alone, comprising as they did between 12 and 20 million people in 1491, there existed a pluralism of societal experimentation and world view unimagined by the melting pot theorists. Every known form of political system was practiced, from democracy to theocracy to communism to hereditary leadership.

In the vast majority of these societies, power and decision-making rested with both women and men. Most Native peoples were village-based agriculturist, not "roaming hunters." A wide variety of sciences----astronomy, agronomy, medicine, mathematics, geology, meteorology, and taxonomy, to name only a few----were highly developed and practiced. A wealth of spiritual and philosophical beliefs flourished. A tolerance for individual difference, either within one's own or in another society, was the norm. Literature, music, dance, and art found widely divergent and brilliant expression. And yet this treasure trove of experience and intelligence, perfected over tens of thousands of years’ residence on this continent, is allowed to be eclipsed by racist drivel.

Real American history, abounding with confusion, misunderstanding, exploitation, good people and bad ones, cultural chauvinism and hard won insight, contains lessons that vitally need to be learned, not forgotten or whitewashed. We, as a people, must not make the same mistakes again in other dealings with new societies that seem to be initially either strange or unfathomable to us.

Some readers may find individual instances of stereotyping to be inoffensive, and individually they may be. Taken out of the general context, objection to a particular toy or school symbol or nursery rhyme might seem to be a case of over- sensitivity. "Where's your sense of humor?" they may ask. "Aren't all groups satirized or emblemized? Irish-Americans arc proud of the Fighting Irish, of Notre Dame! What's wrong with exhorting little boys to want to be brave and stoic? Can't you take a joke?"

No. It's no joke when a dominant group, with a sorry history of oppression towards its minorities, expropriates a shallow version of a subordinate, relatively powerless group and promulgates that imagery as valid. This realization may come slowly, but it can come. Even the most hearty enthusiast can probably comprehend today the tastelessness of little Black jockey statues in front of a house or the rolling-eyed parody of minstrel show revelry. Even the most oblivious observer cannot help but see the danger inherent in early Nazi caricatures of Jewish people or Gypsies. Italian anti-defamation leagues are strong in censure of media gangsters with Sicilian names. For most of us the Polish joke is at least suspect.

So why should standards of respect and restraint differ when it comes to Indians? Are Native people less worthy of serious consideration, less contemporary, less complicated? Is it any less demeaning or ridiculous to portray every Indian with feathers than it would be to present every Afro-American with a spear or every Hispanic with a sombrero?

Indian tribes in the United States are self-governing, political entities, many of them rich in natura1 resources and all of them rich in human potential. For far too long they have been denied their legitimate place, their own voice, the public awareness of their diverse heritage. Let “I” be for something else.

-Michael A. Dorris

Michael A. Dorris (1945-1997), an anthropologist, educator, and writer and member of the Modoc Tribe. Other writings include A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, 1987, a novel on American Indian women, and Broken Cord, 1989, an award winning book on fetal alcohol syndrome

Evergreen perennial, spreading by seed, which cling to feet - it was taken to the New World for herbal use and became known to North American Native Peoples as "White Man's Footsteps" as it followed the new inhabitants where they settled. Persists for many seasons, forming a rosette close to the ground, so it avoids the sweep of mower blades. It is tolerant to trampling, surviving on paths and driveways.

The leaves contain tannins and astringent chemicals which, when crushed, make useful styptics for small cuts and an alternative to dock leaves for nettle stings. Lotions can be used to sooth itchy, chapped skin, insect bites and sore eyes. There are also internal medicinal uses where the expectorant effect and the mucilage content of the plant ease inflamed mucous membranes during bouts of coughs and bronchitis.

There is some evidence of antibacterial properties. Medicinal Properties: Properties: Astringent, demulcent, emollient, cooling, vulnerary, expectorant, hemostatic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitoxin, and diuretic.Constituents:Allantion, apigenin, aucubin, baicalein,linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol, and tannin.Main Uses: A tea can be used to treat lung disorders and stomach problems.This same tea may be used as a mouthwash to treat sores in the mouth and toothaches. It may also be used externally to treat sores, cuts, scratches, blisters, insect bites and stings, hemorrhoids, burns, rashes, and other skin irritations. A poultice of the leaves may be applied to the affected area. This is probably plantain's most common use. For relief from an insect bite, simply shred (or chew) a plantain leaf and hold it on the bite for a few minutes. Plantain is currently being marketed as a stop smoking aid. It is said that it causes an aversion to tobacco. Plantain seeds are very high in mucilage and fiber. The seeds of a closely related species (Plantago psyllium) are the primary ingredient in laxatives such as Metamucil. Common plantain seeds may be used in the same fashion. The mucilage from the seeds may also reduce high cholesterol.

The photograph of Geronimo driving a car on the last page of the April 2004 issue of American History was actually taken on June 11, 1905, at the Miller brothers' 101 Ranch, located southwest of Ponca City, Okla. The car is a Locomobile, and the Indian in full headdress to Geronimo's left is Edward Le Clair Sr., a Ponca Indian. Geronimo so admired Le Clair's beaded vest that it was presented to him later in the day. When Geronimo died in 1909, he was buried in the vest. The photograph was taken during a special 101 Ranch show for the U.S. press. Thousands of newspaper editors and reporters flocked to it.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

I do not love you for your running waterMore, that you emptied a drawer for meMade space in your closet, and lifeI do not love you because you understand my catMore, that he understands you I love your face not because I love your faceMore, because your eyes see meBecause you make yourself visibleI do not love you for your languageMore, your passions It would be easy enough to love you for your musicI love you for your song.

Cooking Delicious Lambs Quarter Greens

The leaves and stems are edible and absolutely delicious, with a flavor that can be compared to spinach or chard with an earthy, mineral rich taste. It’s difficult to describe, but if you enjoy leafy greens such as kale, collards, and spinach you’ll love lambs quarter and enjoy the change of pace provided by its distinct flavor.

When cooking lambs quarter the easiest preparation is to simply steam the leaves and stems in a small amount of water until tender. The greens will cook very quickly and turn a dark green color as they shrink down during cooking. The cooked greens are delicious just as they are with no additional seasoning or flavoring necessary.

The young leaves and smaller stems can also be eaten raw in salads. Or you can experiment by substituting lambs quarter for spinach or chard in some of your favorite recipes.

Locating and Harvesting Lambs Quarters

Forage for wild lambs quarters around your landscape or allow a few plants to grow in the garden amongst your vegetable and herb plants. A few seed suppliers sell a cultivated variety of lambs quarter or Giant Goosefoot called “Magentaspreen.” This variety has an attractive magenta hue on the young leaves and stems.

To harvest lambs quarter just cut or snap off the youngest and best looking branches from the top and sides of the plant.

Learn to identify lambs quarter and you may be surprised to find it growing up all around you. Once you steam a batch of the fresh leaves and stems the biggest surprise may be just how much you enjoy the taste of this plant that you previously yanked from the garden and discarded.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

WASHINGTON -- An odd-looking Canadian quarter with a bright red flower was the culprit behind a false espionage warning from the Defense Department about mysterious coins with radio frequency transmitters, The Associated Press has learned.

The harmless "poppy quarter" was so unfamiliar to suspicious U.S. Army contractors traveling in Canada that they filed confidential espionage accounts about them. The worried contractors described the coins as "filled with something man-made that looked like nano-technology," according to once-classified U.S. government reports and e-mails obtained by the AP.

The silver-colored 25-cent piece features the red image of a poppy _ Canada's flower of remembrance _ inlaid over a maple leaf. The unorthodox quarter is identical to the coins pictured and described as suspicious in the contractors' accounts.

The supposed nano-technology on the coin actually was a protective coating the Royal Canadian Mint applied to prevent the poppy's red color from rubbing off. The mint produced nearly 30 million such quarters in 2004 commemorating Canada's 117,000 war dead.

"It did not appear to be electronic (analog) in nature or have a power source," wrote one U.S. contractor, who discovered the coin in the cup holder of a rental car. "Under high power microscope, it appeared to be complex consisting of several layers of clear, but different material, with a wire-like mesh suspended on top."

The confidential accounts led to a sensational warning from the Defense Security Service, an agency of the Defense Department, that mysterious coins with radio frequency transmitters were found planted on U.S. contractors with classified security clearances on at least three separate occasions between October 2005 and January 2006 as the contractors traveled through Canada.

"We'll have a good laugh over it," said John Regitko, who writes a newsletter for a leading coin-collecting organization, the Canadian Numismatic Association. "We never suspected there was such a thing (as spy coins) anyway."

Regitko predicted the quarter will become especially popular among collectors because of its infamy as the culprit behind the spy warning, despite the quarter's wide availability. "Everybody has some in their drawer at home," he said.

One contractor believed someone had placed two of the quarters in an outer coat pocket after the contractor had emptied the pocket hours earlier. "Coat pockets were empty that morning and I was keeping all of my coins in a plastic bag in my inner coat pocket," the contractor wrote.

The Defense Department subsequently acknowledged it could never substantiate the espionage warning, but until now it has never disclosed the details behind the embarrassing episode.

In Canada, senior intelligence officials had expressed annoyance with the American spy-coin warnings as they tried to learn more about the oddball claims.

"That story about Canadians planting coins in the pockets of defense contractors will not go away," Luc Portelance, now deputy director for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, wrote in a January e-mail to a subordinate. "Could someone tell me more? Where do we stand and what's the story on this?"

Others in Canada's spy service also were searching for answers. "We would be very interested in any more detail you may have on the validity of the comment related to the use of Canadian coins in this manner," another intelligence official wrote in an e-mail. "If it is accurate, are they talking industrial or state espionage? If the latter, who?" The identity of the e-mail's recipient was censored.

Intelligence and technology experts were flabbergasted over the warning when it was first publicized earlier this year. The warning suggested that such transmitters could be used surreptitiously to track the movements of people carrying the coins.

"I thought the whole thing was preposterous, to think you could tag an individual with a coin and think they wouldn't give it away or spend it," said H. Keith Melton, a leading intelligence historian.

But Melton said the Army contractors properly reported their suspicions. "You want contractors or any government personnel to report anything suspicious," he said. "You can't have the potential target evaluating whether this was an organized attack or a fluke."

The Defense Security Service disavowed its warning about spy coins after an international furor. The U.S. said it never substantiated the contractors' claims and performed an internal review to determine how the false information was included in a 29-page published report about espionage concerns.

The Defense Security Service never examined the suspicious coins, spokeswoman Cindy McGovern said. "We know where we made the mistake," she said. "The information wasn't properly vetted. While these coins aroused suspicion, there ultimately was nothing there."

A numismatist consulted by the AP, Dennis Pike of Canadian Coin & Currency near Toronto, quickly matched a grainy image and physical descriptions of the suspect coins in the contractors' confidential accounts to the 25-cent poppy piece.

"It's not uncommon at all," Pike said. He added that the coin's protective coating glows peculiarly under ultraviolet light. "That may have been a little bit suspicious," he said.

Some of the U.S. documents the AP obtained were classified "Secret/Noforn," meaning they were never supposed to be viewed by foreigners, even America's closest allies. The government censored parts of the files, citing national security reasons, before turning over copies under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Nothing in the documents _ except the reference to nanotechnology _ explained how the contractors' accounts evolved into a full-blown warning about spy coins with radio frequency transmitters. Many passages were censored, including the names of contractors and details about where they worked and their projects.

But there were indications the accounts should have been taken lightly. Next to one blacked-out sentence was this warning: "This has not been confirmed as of yet."

The Canadian intelligence documents, which also were censored, were turned over to the AP for $5 under that country's Access to Information Act. Canada cited rules for protecting against subversive or hostile activities to explain why it censored the papers.

___

Associated Press writer Beth Duff-Brown contributed to this story from Toronto.

Friday, July 06, 2007

So Thankful

Today's trip to town, feeling blue and down,body hurting, wishing I wasn't going.Wishing only to sleep the pain awayon a tide of sleep that will not come.

Caught then in the web of beautyof green, and flowers, and life.Stopped to let a spotty fawn cross,and counted flowers in bloom just now,and pondered love, and why it is so hardwhen it is so natural, and is all we wish.

In town, smiles and courtesysweet country people that I lovewho love me back so easily. Then

Coming home, counting flowers again,knowing so many are in bloom I haveno hope of remembering them all and

The first black cohosh. For which I livefrom year to year just to see for its brief weeksRadiant candles in the green light.And took that road, slowly, watching for its spotsits beloved corners. White luminous spikes in theunderstory. Always in shade. Taller, often thanI am. Seeks no company. A subtle flower, that.A woman's plant, in all ways.

And slowing for the white-tail mother, stillclad in summer red, and the small fat grayWhistlepig, remember also, for once, to say:

Monday, July 02, 2007

About Me

Water gathering
most days I wait
through blue and sun
till dusk
or even later
and the rose has faded
to lavender, to gray
some days, the sleet
has started
and the leaves underfoot
are slick with ice
somehow I'm never sorry
and never learn
one night I waited
till the stars were out
dropped the bucket into
sound, only felt the weight
of it filling
and the night full of stars
and the river full of stars
and the bucket full of stars
come morning, the coffee
is also full of stars